I'm Still Here
by Kuro Nagaski River
Summary: Marly Holmes just wanted to get away from her controlling family. She hadn't meant to run into the Once-Ler. She hadn't meant to get involved with his feud with The Lorax. She hadn't meant to fall in love with him.
1. Runaway

It was suffocating.

Watching them speaking about their business and her.

Like she wasn't even there.

Marly's hands tightened in her lap as she listened to Father and Mother talk to the biggest customer about possibly a union between the two.

Marly's Father and Mother ran an oil business. They'd made good friends with the Kelley's. The Kelley's owned quite a bit of land in the own. And from what Marly's Father had heard, a lot of that land was ripe for drilling. So here brought around the meeting for some kind deal to be struck between the two families.

Mr. Kelley was willing to let Mr. Holmes drill on his land in exchange for something else in exchange, and so far the popular choice for it seemed to be that Marly married their son. Kyle Kelley Jr.

Now Marly didn't think was a good idea. Not because she didn't like Kyle or that he was horrible person. Infact he was actually really nice. Pleasant to be around, smart and pretty handsome. But the fact was Marly didn't know him. At all. And she really didn't have any interest in the things he did, Kyle liked things like cars and machine and how they moved and worked. He wanted to become an engineer some day.

Marly hated machines. From the noise they made to the things were used for. Ever since she was old enough to read and she'd found out what the machines her Father had were used for she'd hated them.

Marly loved animals. She'd had quite a few of them growing up. Dog, Cats, Hamsters. Her Father and Mother let her have them because they kept her happy and quiet. She wanted to grow to be something like a Veterinarian or maybe an Animal trainer.

Her Mother had told her it wasn't happening. She was to grow up and become a good lady for her husband, who would inherit the company someday.

Mrs. Holmes wasn't a pleasant woman. She had deep brown hair pulled up high into a tight up do. She wore quite a bit of make up making her look a clown more then a lady. She also never smiled, Marly thought it was abit odd seeing as when she was a child her Mother had smiled all the time.

But it seemed as when she got older she'd forgotten how…. Instead replacing that knowledge with how to be terribly strict parent. And it was true her Mother terribly strict. Everyday she yelled and screeched at Marly to finished lessons and eat all her food.

Marly was beginning to think the woman had never learned how to whisper. Her Father on the other hand was better. He wasn't always smiling, but he was pleasant to his daughter, on occasion. He was a small portly man balding. He'd once had thick black hair, long and curly, but he'd lost it years ago.

Marly had learned when he was it was usual because he wanted something from her like money she'd saved or a favor she owed him.

She frowned deeply as she stared at the hard wood of the table her hands clenched so tightly she could feel a thin river of blood coming from her fist.

A quick sharp call of her name brought her back. Marly looked up recognizing the voice as that of her Mother. She looked over to her to see a very glare being directly at her. "Marly, it's rude to daze out when people are speaking."

Marly looked down her eyes narrowed slightly moved set in a thin line. "Forgive me _Mother_ but the conversation wasn't directed at me so I felt so no need to listen-"

"You spoiled child! Just because you weren't part of it does not mean-" "Mrs. Kelley it's alright really. I'm sure she's just tired from being cooped up here all day." Kyle sent her a sympathic smile. Marly gave him a grateful one back but her Mother, who'd gotten angry enough to rise from her chair, caught the look.

She sat back down not saying a word as Marly went back to staring at the table leaving Kyle looking wistfully at her.

A few hours later everything was set. Marly was to marry Kyle at the end of the month. Which was only two weeks away. Marly followed her parents quietly home. They only leaved down the street from the Kelley's.

Marly's father walked in speaking happily to no one about wonderful it was that he'd managed to get both access to the land of the Kelley's and find himself a good heir. Marly just ignored him walking up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door to her room shut and walked to her bed sitting down. She ran hand through her hair sighing. She could hear the faint murmering of her parents about what was going to happen, the wedding, the movement of the equipment to the fields.

Suddenly she felt all of her hate and anger boil up inside her. Marly stood and quickly walked to her closet. She grabbed a bag grabbing whatever clothes she could get her hands on and shoved them in the bag. She ran over to her bed kneeling down pulling out a box she'd been saving some money in and threw that in the bag as well.

Marly pulled the bag onto her shoulders walking to her open window. "There is no way I'm going let the two of you continue to control my life…." She stepped out the window walking down the stair case that connected it the house.

Marly really didn't have a plan, she just wanted to get away from her family. Her horrible controlling evil greedy family. So, as she ran away, heading towards that giant valley in the distance, she really didn't care what happened now. So long as she never had to see her family again.


	2. Our Friendship Can Grow

It was sunny.

A good day for a trip.

At least that's what the Once-Ler had thought when he was hitching up his donkey Melvin to his wagon. He was smiling, after such a long time coming he was finally going to set out and show the world how awesome his Thneed product was.

He turned back to his family going to wave goodbye to them only to hear his mouth jeer back. It wasn't an unusual thing. Shortly after her one of his brothers ran forward giving his arm a whack.

He wasn't sure which it was they both looked the same and both seemed to be equally stupid. Once-Ler just rubbed his arm giving fake smile as they headed out.

He leaned back as they traveled playing his guitar watching as they traversed many terrains. Finally they stopped. Of course The Once-Ler was asleep, as they had been moving for a while. Melvin just rolled his eyes and kicked the wagon waking the man. The Once-Ler shot up sending the donkey a glare before speaking, "Hey I told you we'll be there-" He stopped as he caught sight of what was before them.

A giant valley filled with beautiful trees. Covered in lush green grass and split with crystal blue rivers. The Once-Ler stepped forward as the creatures began to take notice of him. Some Humming fish sang swimming in the river, as the Swamee Swans and the Brown Bar Ba Loots can over.

The Once-Ler smiled at them all pulling his carriage forward as he removed a few of his things. Though when he turned around the animals seemed less happy to have him there. The Once-Ler managed to placate them with marshmallows.

He smiled as he watched them eat picking his axe up. "Alright, Bout to make Thneed, Bout to change the world." he smiled walking to the nearest Truffula tree.

As soon as he hit it with the axe all the animals ran away. The Once-Ler didn't seem to notice as he continued to hack at the tree. Though also as he hacked he failed to notice the prescence of a young woman. She had heard the animals yelling and running and just being louder then usual. A few had come to tell her someone was here though they'd seemed happier then.

The young woman watched as the young man cut down the tree. Her brows furrowed as she did stalking forward. The Once-Lersmiled as he finished and turned expecting to see more animals.

He was met instead with the young woman's fist. She'd swung hard hoping to stun him long enough to take his axe. The Once-Ler had dropped it after he'd cut down the tree.

"OW! What the hell-!" He stopped when he caught sight of the woman standing a few feet from him. She was very beautiful at least to him. The only comparison he'd had was his mother and aunt. But even by normal standards he assumed she would be. Though her face was marred by a scowl, her grey eyes narrowed dangerously. She was wearing a patchwork dress that fell to her knees. Black pants came under it reaching her ankles.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" She took a step forward brandishing the axe as she moved. Her short black hair swayed as she moved. The Once-Ler raised his hands in defense. "I'm The Once-Ler….. I'm here to start my Thneed business." The girl frowned more. "Thneed? I've never heard of that."

He rolled his eyes. "That's because I haven't made it yet." He made a motion to take the axe back but she stepped away. "Don't even think about it! You don't cut down the tree's here!"

The Once-Ler looked back seeing the stump the fallen tree beside it. "Your made cause I cut down a tree?" The woman glared at him. "Yes I am." "But it's just a tree."

This earned him another punch to the head. "OW!" "Just a tree! JUST A TREE? That was not just a tree. It was a symbol of the life here." The woman lowered the axe as she spoke. "The animals need the trees….. They need them for the food and shelter they provide." the Once-Ler watched her as she spoke. She seemed to care a lot for this place. He fornwed before turning to her. "Alright I understand, I won't cut down anymore trees." The woman frowned at him not believing it. "Your lying."

The Once-Ler nodded. "Yeah, but I got my axe back." He turned starting to drag the tree away. The woman looked down seeing he'd taken it while she was speaking. "Hey! Get back here! I'm not going to let you down this!" The Once-Ler stopped at the spot her was going to set his tent up at. "It was just one tree chill ok." "No I won't chill. Your going to destroy this forest and I won't let you!"

"Dude don't be so over dramatic! I haven't done anything but cut down a single truffula tree. I'm trying to destroy anything. But your free to stay and watch." He started pulling the tent out and setting it up as the woman pouted sitting down.

When he was finished the Once-Ler started plucking the tufts of the tree. "So you got a name?" He turned to the woman eyeing her curiously. The woman sent him another glare before she spoke. "Marly."

He stopped for a moment looking at her. Marly hmm? It fit. He started working again a smile on his face. "Nice name. Suits you." Marly blushed faintly sending him another glare. "Oh be quiet."

And the whole time they spoke neither noticed the tornado or the thunder in the sky.


End file.
